Suspect shot by SWAT team

A suspect in a Lincolnton murder and an attempted shooting of a police officer was shot and killed by county SWAT officers in the early morning hours on Friday.

The suspect, who has yet to be named by law enforcement, is believed to have killed a woman at a home at 876 Salem Church Road, and then attempted to shoot a Lincolnton Police officer during a traffic stop near the Lantern Ridge apartment complex. He fled into the complex after his encounter with police and took refuge in an upper-level apartment.

Lincoln County Sheriff David Carpenter said the suspect, after an hours-long standoff, exited the apartment with a weapon pointed at SWAT officers and opened fire. Officers returned fire and struck the suspect multiple times, killing him.

Residents of the complex said they heard extended gunfire, including what sounded like fire from automatic weapons, shortly before the standoff ended. At least one vehicle and apartment showed signs of bullet damage before the standoff was ended, presumably the result of the suspect’s initial confrontation with police during the traffic stop.

Several nearby businesses and apartment complexes were placed on lockdown during the incident.

An Aaron’s delivery driver told the Times-News he discovered the murder victim’s body, which appeared to be located next to the driver’s side of a vehicle parked in the home’s carport, Thursday afternoon. The victim has not been named by law enforcement.

Neighbors of the Salem Church Road home where the murder victim’s body was found said they had seen a man matching the suspect’s description at the home several times but did not know if he lived there. They said the home had recently been rented.

The Times-News will publish details about the incident, as they become available, on our website —www.lincolntimesnews.com.